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Abstract:

A diverting tool includes a ramp repositionable from a first position to
a second position, a biasing member in operable communication with the
ramp biasing the ramp toward the second position, and a tubular in
operable communication with the ramp and the biasing member. The tubular
prevents repositioning of the ramp when longitudinally overlapping with
the ramp and allows repositioning of the ramp when not longitudinally
overlapping with the ramp.

Claims:

1. A diverting tool, comprising: a ramp repositionable from a first
position to a second position; a biasing member in operable communication
with the ramp biasing the ramp toward the second position; and a tubular
in operable communication with the ramp and the biasing member, the
tubular preventing repositioning of the ramp to the second position when
longitudinally overlapping with the ramp by occupying space the ramp
would occupy when in the second position and allowing repositioning of
the ramp when not longitudinally overlapping with the ramp.

2. The diverting tool of claim 1, wherein the ramp is configured to
divert the tubular into a lateral opening in response to the tubular
moving longitudinally against the ramp when the ramp is in the second
position.

3. The diverting tool of claim 1, wherein the ramp rotates about a pivot
during repositioning.

4. The diverting tool of claim 1, wherein the biasing member is a bow
spring.

5. The diverting tool of claim 1, wherein the biasing member prevents the
ramp from returning to the first position after having been repositioned
to the second position.

6. The diverting tool of claim 1, further comprising a housing in
operable communication with the ramp and the biasing member.

7. The diverting tool of claim 6, wherein the housing is at least
partially tubular in shape.

8. The diverting tool of claim 6, wherein the ramp is located in an
annular space between the tubular and the housing when in the first
position.

9. The diverting tool of claim 6, wherein the housing has a window
receptive to the tubular passing therethrough when guided by the ramp.

10. The diverting tool of claim 6, wherein the biasing member engages
with the housing to prevent the ramp from moving back to the first
position after having been moved to the second position.

11. The diverting tool of claim 10, wherein biasing member has an end
with teeth thereon that ratchetingly engage with teeth on the housing.

12. The diverting tool of claim 10, wherein ends of the biasing member
move longitudinally relative to one another during repositioning of the
ramp from the first position to the second position and a ratcheting
engagement between at least one of the ends and the housing prevents the
ends from moving longitudinally back to their original positions.

13. The diverting tool of claim 12, wherein the ends of the biasing
member move toward one another during the repositioning of the ramp.

14. The diverting tool of claim 12, wherein the ratcheting engagement
includes wickers.

15. The diverting tool of claim 3, wherein an axis of the pivot is
substantially orthogonal to an axis of the tubular.

16. A diverting tool, comprising: a housing; a ramp in operable
communication with the housing repositionable from a first position to a
second position; a biasing member in operable communication with the ramp
biasing the ramp toward the second position; and a tubular initially
located within the housing occupying a volume that the ramp occupies when
in the second position being movable to a location that allows the ramp
to reposition to the second position.

17. The diverting tool of claim 16, wherein the tubular after having been
moved to allow the ramp to reposition is prevented from returning to the
initial location of the tubular by the ramp being in the second position.

18. The diverting tool of claim 16, wherein the ramp urges the tubular
through a window in the housing upon movement of the tubular against the
ramp while the ramp is in the second position.

Description:

BACKGROUND

[0001] Industries involving tubular systems such as the downhole
completion industry, for example, sometimes have a need to run a tubular,
such as a drillstring, within a main tubular, such as a borehole. Such
systems sometimes have offshoots from the main tubular often referred to
as laterals. At times, operators of these systems have a need to run into
one or more of the laterals. Typical systems and methods to do such an
operation require the tubular to be fully withdrawn from the main before
running back into one of the laterals. Having to withdraw the tubular
from the main before running it into a lateral causes an operator to
incur economic penalties associated with added labor and lost time.
Methods and systems that lessen such economic penalties are always well
received by system operators.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0002] Disclosed herein is a diverting tool. The diverting tool includes,
a ramp repositionable from a first position to a second position, a
biasing member in operable communication with the ramp biasing the ramp
toward the second position, and a tubular in operable communication with
the ramp and the biasing member. The tubular prevents repositioning of
the ramp when longitudinally overlapping with the ramp and allows
repositioning of the ramp when not longitudinally overlapping with the
ramp.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any
way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are
numbered alike:

[0004] FIGS. 1A-1C depict a partial cross sectional view of a diverting
system disclosed herein with the first tubular removed;

[0005] FIGS. 2A-2B depict a similar partial cross sectional view to that
of FIGS. 1A-1C with the first tubular shown;

[0006]FIG. 3A depicts a magnified partial cross sectional view of an
engaged collet of the diverting system of FIGS. 1A-1C;

[0008]FIG. 4 depicts a partial cross sectional view of a collet engaged
with a first profile of the first tubular;

[0009]FIG. 5 depicts a partial cross sectional view of the collet of FIG.
4 engaged with a second profile of the first tubular;

[0010]FIG. 6 depicts a partial cross sectional view of a diverter tool
portion of the diverting system of FIGS. 1A-1C; and

[0011]FIG. 7 depicts a partial cross sectional perspective view of an end
of a biasing member of the diverter tool portion illustrated in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed
apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and
not limitation with reference to the Figures.

[0013] Embodiments of a diverting system disclosed herein allow a first
tubular to run fully within a main of a second tubular and subsequently
to run the first tubular into a plurality of lateral tubulars extending
from the second tubular without having to withdraw the first tubular from
the second tubular prior to doing so. In a downhole operation, for
example, an operator could run a drillstring down a main wellbore past
any number of laterals extending from the main wellbore. The operator
could then sequentially run the drillstring into each of the laterals in
succession starting with the lowest lateral and ending with the highest
lateral, all during a single run of the drillstring. Optionally, the
operator could choose to skip running the drillstring into any one or
more of the laterals during the process.

[0014] Referring to FIGS. 1A-1C and 2A-2B, an embodiment of a diverting
system is illustrated generally at 10. The embodiment of the diverting
system 10 illustrated herein is deployed in a downhole application. The
diverting system 10 includes a first tubular 14 (not shown in FIGS. 1A-1C
to improve visual clarity of other components), shown as a drillstring,
and a second tubular 18, shown as a main wellbore, having at least one
lateral 22, shown as a lateral wellbore, extending from the second
tubular 18. The second tubular 18 and the lateral(s) 22 are receptive to
the first tubular 14 running therein. An engaging device 26 mounted at
the first tubular 14 is selectively attached to the first tubular 14 and
is slidable within the second tubular 18. A diverting tool 30, fixedly
attached to the engaging device 26, is configured to selectively divert
the first tubular 14 into one of the second tubular 18 and the lateral(s)
22 based on a selected sequence. The first tubular 14 maintains a ramp 28
of the diverting tool 30 in a non-diverting orientation until a sequence
of events that will be discussed below are completed.

[0015] The diverting system 10 is configured such that the first tubular
14, as well as the engaging device 26 and the diverting tool 30 attached
near an end 34 thereof, bypass all of the laterals 22 and continue
running within the second main tubular 18 during the initial run in. A
profile 38, defined by annular recesses 42A, 42B formed in an inner wall
46 of the second tubular 18 is positioned, in this embodiment, a fixed
dimension above each junction 50, defined as the intersection of the
second tubular 18 and each of the lateral(s) 22. Each time the engaging
device 26 passes one of the profiles 38 in a downward direction, fingers
54 of a first collet 58 temporarily engage with a land 62 defined between
the recesses 42A and 42B. This engagement moves the first collet 58
relative to the engaging device 26 compressing biasing members 66, shown
herein as springs, in the process thereby allowing the fingers 54 to
compress radially inwardly into window 70 in a body 74 of the engaging
device 26. Once the fingers 54 have passed by the land 62 the biasing
member 66 return the fingers 54 to their original positions. A force
required to compress the biasing members 66 as the fingers 54 pass the
land 62 can be detected by an operator feeding the first tubular 14 into
the second tubular 18 thereby providing feedback as to dimensions from a
surface, for example, to where each of the junctions 50 are located.

[0016] After all of the junctions 50 have been passed, and the first
tubular 14 has been used to perform any desired functions in the second
tubular 18 beyond the lowest lateral 22, withdrawal of the first tubular
14 can begin. Operator detection is again possible as the fingers 54
again engage the land 62, this time in the opposite direction of travel
to that of the first time the fingers 54 engaged with the land 62. The
biasing members 66 again allow the first collet 58 to move relative to
the engaging device 26, this time in the opposite direction, to allow the
fingers 54 to radially compress into windows 78 in the body 74.

[0017] Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the fingers 54 have a back rake angle
82 that engage with a matching back rake angle 86 that cause the fingers
54 to remain engaged with the windows 78 even after the fingers 54 have
passed the land 62. This permits the fingers 54 to pull sleeves 90 in an
upward direction relative to collet fingers 94 that are attached to the
engaging device 26 via urging by the biasing members 66. This relative
movement between the sleeves 90 and the collect fingers 94 cause the
collet fingers 94 to move radially outwardly in response to guides 98 on
the collet fingers 94 riding within ramped surfaces 102 of the sleeves
90. With the collet fingers 94 being biased radially outwardly
protrusions 106 on the collet fingers 94 are able to engage with the
profile 38.

[0018] Surfaces 110 that define longitudinal ends of the protrusions 106
and surfaces 114 that define longitudinal ends of the profile 38 are
angled to allow the protrusions 106 to ramp out to allow engagement with
the profile 38 when protrusions 106 are moved in an upward direction, as
illustrated herein, relative to the profile 38 but to longitudinally lock
when moved in the opposing direction. The momentary engagement of the
protrusions 106 with the profile 38 in the upward direction allows an
operator to detect when such engagement and release occurs. Additionally,
the engaging device 26 and the first tubular 14, when the two are locked
together as will be discussed below, can be supported by the engagement
of the protrusions 106 with the profile 38 in the downward direction,
thereby providing additional confirmation of location of the junction 50.

[0019] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the movement of the fingers 54 relative
to the body 74 discussed above also causes collar 118 to move relative to
the body 74. This movement removes the radial outward support provided by
the collar 118 to collet 122 as illustrated in FIG. 1A. The collar 118 is
illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 in the moved position where it is
unsupportive of the collet 122. The collet 122 is engagable with details
or profiles 126, 128 on the outside of the first tubular 14. The profile
126 is illustrated in FIG. 4 and the profile 128 is illustrated in FIG.
5. An upward facing surface 132 on the profile 126 is angled to cause the
collet 122 to flex radially outwardly when urged thereagainst to allow
the first tubular 14 to move upwardly relative to the engaging device 26.
In contrast, an upward facing surface 136 on the profile 128 has a back
rake angle designed to prevent the collet 122 from flexing radially
outwardly in response to being urged thereagainst, thereby preventing
upward movement of the first tubular 14 relative to the engaging device
26. The foregoing structure permits an operator to detect when the
profile 126 has disengaged from the collet 122 and when the profile 128
has engaged with the collet 122. It should further be noted that the
profile 128 is configured to permit disengagement with the collet 122 and
movement of the first tubular 14 in a downhole direction relative to the
collet 122. Additionally, the profile 128 is positioned along the first
tubular 14 nearer to the end 34 than the profile 126 as is illustrated in
FIGS. 2B and 2A respectively. Further, forces needed to engage the collet
122 with the profile 126 are less than the forces needed to disengage
protrusions 106 from the profile 38. Likewise the force required to
disengage protrusions 106 from the profile 38 is less than the forces
needed to engage the profile 126 with the collet 122. These relationships
are needed to assure that the first tubular 14 can be made to move
relative to the engaging device 26 and one-trip access to each lateral 22
can be achieved.

[0020] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a distance from the profile 128 to the
end 34 is selected to assure that when the profile 128 is engaged with
the collet 122 the end 34 is above the diverting tool 30 and more
specifically above the ramp 28. Until this occurs the first tubular 14
has held the ramp 28 compressed against a body 138 of the diverting tool
30. A biasing member 140, illustrated herein as a bow spring, urges the
ramp 28 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in these
figures, about a pivot 144. Contact between a lower end of the ramp 28
and the opposing wall of the body 138 limits this rotation. The ramp 28,
when repositioned as shown in FIG. 6, is configured to divert the end 34
of the first tubular 14 through a window 148 in the body 138, and a
window 150 in the second tubular 18 that define an entry into the lateral
22.

[0021] The biasing member 140 has a fixed end 152 and a movable end 156.
As the biasing member 140 rotates the ramp 28 it bows thereby drawing the
movable end 156 toward the fixed end 152. Teeth 160 often referred to as
wickers, on the movable end 156 are engagable with complementary teeth
164, or wickers, on the body 138 that function as a ratcheting mechanism
that only permits the movable end 156 to move in one direction. This
ratcheting mechanism maintains the biasing member 140 in the bowed
position and the ramp 28 in the fully rotated position to thereby divert
the first tubular 14 through the window 148 whenever it is subsequently
run thereagainst.

[0022] After the first tubular 14 has been run into the lateral 22 and
completed any desired functions while therein, it can be withdrawn from
the lateral 22. Withdrawal of the first tubular 14 continues until the
profile 128 engages again with the collet 122 at which point continued
upward movement of the first tubular 14 causes the engaging device 26,
and the diverting tool 30 connected thereto, to move therewith relative
to the second tubular 18. This movement continues until the operator
detects that the collet fingers 94 have engaged with another of the
profiles 38, thereby indicating that the engaging device 26 is located at
another junction 50. Reversing direction of motion of the first tubular
14 to a downward direction then allows the engaging device 26 to become
supported by the profile 38 via engagement therewith by the collet
fingers 94. At such time relative movement between the first tubular 14
and the engaging device 26 begins again, resulting in the end 34 of the
first tubular 14 encountering the ramp 28 and running into the newly
encountered lateral 22.

[0023] The foregoing sequence can continue until the first tubular 14 has
been run into each of the laterals 22. It should be noted that not all of
the laterals 22 must be penetrated by the first tubular 14. In fact, any
and even all of the laterals 22 could be skipped if desired. To do so an
operator can simply continue to lift the engaging device 26 after
detecting that the collet fingers 94 have engaged with one of the
profiles 38. The lifting can continue until the collet fingers 94 engage
with another of the profiles 38. However, once the collet fingers 94 have
engaged a new one of the profiles 38 their engagement therewith prevents
moving the engaging device 26 back down to a previously skipped or
entered one of the laterals 22.

[0024] While the invention has been described with reference to an
exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those
skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may
be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of
the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a
particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention
without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is
intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment
disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention,
but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the
scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there
have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although
specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated
used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of
limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited.
Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any
order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to
distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms
a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the
presence of at least one of the referenced item.